Greenwich Township residents and teachers continue to fear cuts

Staff photo by Gina BittnerJust some of the crowd at Thursday's board of education work session meeting.

GREENWICH TWP. — Hundreds of residents, staff and even students packed into the Nehaunsey Middle School library Thursday night continuing their rally to save threatened staff positions and programs.

Earlier this month, it was suggested that the school district might consider cutting staff positions to avoid a potential $300 average tax increase on homeowners.

Following a recent property revaluation, the district could lose between $80 million and $86 million in ratables.

According to Greenwich Township Education Association (GTEA) Co-President Terry DiSanto, the district’s Interim Superintendent Vincent Tarantino presented the union with a number of potential areas — including 17 staff positions — that might need to be cut. DiSanto said that number includes special education and instructional aides plus custodial or maintenance jobs. If those are eliminated, the positions would be outsourced, she said.

Additionally, basic skills instruction along with physical education, art and music programs could possibly be reduced, as well as full-day kindergarten classes, the union leader said.

At last week’s regular board of education meeting, a line of GTEA members and residents formed at the microphone, begging the board to reconsider any cuts they planned to make.

“We are going to be looking at everything,” Tarantino said then, adding that, on his part, he was not considering cutting physical education or art programs.

Staff photo by Gina BittnerTwo of the cars in the Nehaunsey Middle School parking lot outside of a board of education meeting. There were about 15 cars with similar signs.

At Thursday night’s board of education work session meeting, Tarantino and board members were set to work in closed session on next year’s staffing, but promised no decisions or actions would be made. Still, the room was packed with concerned parents, teachers and children during the public comment session.

“The board has had no meeting — including committee meetings — since [last Tuesday],” said board President Jason Murschell. “No action has been taken since that time, so the one or two main subjects that came up are still going to be under consideration in the workshop tonight.”

The residents who spoke questioned the board’s decision to keep the annual school election in April — something that could cost the district $11,600 — as well as Tarantino’s $135,000 contract and other possible savings.

“We’re in the situation we’re in because of a failure to plan for the reality we find ourselves in,” resident Bryan Bass said. “Asking our children to bear the majority — or all — of the sacrifices that need to be made because of our parents’ and grandparents’ failure to plan is morally reprehensible.”

The board of education was still in executive session Thursday night by the Times’ press deadline.